Women’s Volleyball Faces USF in NCAA Tournament Opener Friday

Bassyonni

ago 47 minutes

Women’s Volleyball Faces USF in NCAA Tournament Opener Friday

No. 25 Penn State is set to commence its 45th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Nittany Lions will face off against USF in the first round on Friday at Texas’s Gregory Gymnasium. The match is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and will be available for streaming on ESPN+. The victor will advance to meet the winner of the matchup between Texas and Florida A&M in the subsequent round on Saturday.

NCAA Tournament Details

Penn State holds the distinction of being the only program to participate in every NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Tournament since its inception in 1981. The Nittany Lions are entering this year’s tournament as an eighth seed in the Austin Region.

Series and Tournament History

Penn State is 116-35 in NCAA tournament history, with eight national titles to its name.
The team has made it to the National Semifinals 14 times and has contested the National Championship match on 11 occasions.
This will mark the first NCAA Tournament meeting between Penn State and USF, bringing the total number of unique postseason opponents for the Nittany Lions to 76.

Penn State’s Round of 64 Record

The Nittany Lions boast an impeccable record of 26-0 in the Round of 64 since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1998. They have only lost three sets during this stretch, all of which occurred in different years.

Team Performance and Rankings

Penn State’s Journey to the NCAA Tournament

Penn State secured an at-large bid, finishing the season with an overall record of 18-12 and a conference record of 12-8 in the Big Ten. The team captured four victories against opponents ranked in the top 25, including wins against No. 6 Creighton and No. 11 Wisconsin.

USF’s Path to the Tournament

USF also received an at-large bid after concluding its season with a 17-12 overall record and a 12-4 performance in the American Conference, where they finished second. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2002.

Notable win: USF defeated No. 36 Tulsa during conference play.
Maria Clara Andrade, a senior outside hitter, was awarded American Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Head-to-Head Records

Penn State vs. USF

Historically, Penn State has faced USF three times, winning all matches with a 3-0 record. The encounters took place in 1986, 1988, and 2015, all hosted in Tampa, Florida.

Player Experience in the NCAA Tournament

A total of eight Penn State players bring substantial NCAA Tournament experience, having participated in a combined 50 matches. This experience is crucial as the team looks to continue its successful tradition in the tournament.